Future of Work: More exciting and humanistic

We are already in panic with all the news about #AI and Robotics stealing our jobs. And it is probably true for a lot of the traditional jobs. As in every other change, we need to be prepared but anxiety does not help.

As explained in the book Dual Transformation. there are two phases to Future of Work. One that we are already in (called A in the book), where we reposition the resources we already have to adapt to new ways of leading our organizations and the one (called B) which is coming up where we have to go through a much more massive change. We will create almost everything new.

Let's deal with the first phase now and make today better than it is. As we do that and reposition ourselves and our organizations, we will feel better about being prepared for Transformation B, the second phase. Jumping into B right now is only going to make things scarier for us.

If we stick with A for now, we first need to understand why all this change is happening, why it is crucial to reposition ourselves and what we need as leaders to be prepared. Let's start with at least a few things we can change now:

1. Embracing an open mind to understand what kind of new skills we need to gain to survive and thrive in these challenging times as leaders. It has to start with the executive team, CEO's, founders. Grassroot pressure does not always work in these type of changes. Everybody can quit their jobs but it will not transform the organization; it will only vanish.

2. Revisit our purpose: why did we start this organization in the first place? Do all our stakeholders know it and realize how serious/authentic we are about it?

3. Build trust in people. They are capable adults if we made the right selections in the hiring process. Adults make decisions all day long and they can do the same at work. They don't need to be micromanaged. Allowing mistakes to happen will only increase productivity and innovation.

4. Basically treat everybody as human.

“If management views workers not as valuable, unique individuals but as tools to be discarded when no longer needed, then employees will also regard the firm as nothing more than a machine for issuing paychecks, with no other value or meaning. Under such conditions it is difficult to do a good job, let alone to enjoy one’s work.“

Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi (from the Book Conscious Business)

If you want to hear more about the interview I had with Evolutionary Business Council about the topic, the video is at the bottom of this page!